Overview
- De Panne, a coastal town in Belgium, hosted the sixth annual event with more than 70 entrants from 15 countries packed into a local pub.
- A panel of judges used a 20-point scale that gave up to 15 points for call accuracy and up to 5 points for performance.
- Organiser Claude Willaert urged people to think of seagulls as part of happy seaside memories rather than as pests.
- The crowd mixed families and seasoned imitators, many in seagull-themed costumes, and winners earned bragging rights rather than prize money.
- The championship has grown into a staple of the town’s calendar, helped by human-interest moments like a British boy named Cooper winning in 2024.